


Everyone Needs Something

by AnOddSock



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Accidental Cuddling, Comfort No Hurt, Comforting Castiel, Comforting Sam, Cuddling & Snuggling, Domestic Fluff, Everything is Beautiful and Nothing Hurts, Falling In Love, First Time, Fluff, Hugs, M/M, Sastiel - Freeform, Touching, sastiel fluff, without meaning too
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-28
Updated: 2017-11-28
Packaged: 2019-02-07 15:22:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,408
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12844002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnOddSock/pseuds/AnOddSock
Summary: Sam is a little touched starved. Cas is a little touched starved. Maybe between them they can figure out a better way to live.





	Everyone Needs Something

**Author's Note:**

  * For [outoftheashes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/outoftheashes/gifts).



> Inspired by this spn kink meme prompt  
> https://spnkink-meme.livejournal.com/107745.html?thread=40620513

It started as a joke. They'd been in the impala for hours and Dean had had the run of the radio the entire drive, as usual. Sam dropped increasingly less subtle hints about wanting to listen to his podcast and Dean gave him an incredulous raise of the eyebrows every time.

That was never going to happen.

Cas piped up from the back seat that he also liked the sound of the podcast and Dean told them that the back seat was open to both of them if they wanted to snuggle up together and do that. Sam looked Dean dead in the eye and pushed himself over the back of the front seat. He almost landed directly into Cas's lap when Dean deliberately sla-lamed across the road, bursting with laughter at Sam's swearing.

Sam righted himself and linked his arm through Cas's.  
“He just doesn't understand us, ignore him.” he said with a mock pout. It took Cas a few moments to catch on to the fact that Sam was joking and poking fun at Dean, but he soon joined in, turning conspiratorially towards Sam to block Dean from their conversation.

They joked back and forth a little before Sam pulled out his phone and untangled his headphones. They really did have to kind of snuggle together to listen to it. Each of them had one of the ear buds, sitting shoulder to shoulder, heads tipped together. After the hour and a half long podcast was over Sam turned and smiled at Cas, but it felt strange to immediately pull away so he just shuffled down in the seat a little. There was still a chunk of driving to do but they didn’t plan on stopping and Sam couldn’t be bothered to attempt clambering back into the front seat while the car was moving.

He stayed with Cas and slowly dozed into a restful sleep. He came to with a start the first time his head lolled onto Cas’s shoulder and quickly righted himself. Cas didn’t complain though. Sam barely registered it happening the second time, content to sleep if Cas was content to let him.

By the time they reached the bunker any awkwardness at their close proximity had dissipated and Sam found himself refreshingly at ease with Cas, thumped his fist against Cas’s leg before exiting the car and gave him a small wave goodnight before heading to bed.

     ~          ~           ~  
It continued without Sam really planning anything. Spending a few hours side by side with Cas in the impala, touching shoulder to hip, had made him lose any reservations about being in Cas’s personal space. He found himself clapping Cas on the back more when they agreed on a course of action to take. Or giving Cas’s shoulder a squeeze goodnight before leaving for his room. Placing his hand reassuringly over Cas’s when he seemed strained and tired.

And one day when Cas reappeared at the bunker after a few weeks away he hurried up and pulled Cas into a quick tight hug. Cas was rooted to the spot and didn’t lift his arms to hug back, but he didn’t push Sam away either. When Sam let go he found Dean giving him an odd look. Hugging wasn’t something they did around here, save for after a near death - or actual death - experience.

Sam shrugged at Dean, who looked bemused, and nudged Cas with his shoulder.  
“Good to have you back, Cas.”

Sam hadn’t realised how much he’d been enjoying these small moments of physical contact with another living person until he hadn’t been able to do them anymore. He was slightly concerned that Cas wasn’t reciprocating, that he didn’t initiate it. That maybe Cas was only putting up with it because he didn’t know what else to do.

Sam resolved to check in with Cas each time, to see what his reaction really was, or to get his attention somehow before touching him, Sam didn’t want to be that guy.

Sam was sat at the kitchen table the next morning when Cas appeared and poured himself a cup of coffee. They said the cursory hellos as Cas entered the room and Sam mentally steeled himself to ask somehow, maybe not with words but somehow, whether or not Cas was alright with their hug from the night before.

Sam felt the sudden, warm touch of a hand between his shoulder blades and it startled him out of his thoughts. Cas let his hand linger there a moment, and then settled into the seat next to Sam, sitting just slightly closer than what would be naturally comfortable.  
Sam looked at him, noticing some pinching stress lines around his eyes. So he smiled and nodded, another good morning greeting, an acknowledgment. Cas smiled instantly back, his worried look melting away.

And that was that.

    ~          ~           ~

Small embraces after returning after a successful hunt. An arm slung over the other's shoulder waiting for the coffee pot to finish brewing. Clasping hands and helping each other to their feet much more often than necessary. Nudging elbows playfully, a little touch to get their attention instead of speaking, a hand on a knee in comfort.  
These all became every day occurrences.

Cas was stiff at first, as if he knew the actions he should be completing but hadn't relaxed into it. After a couple of weeks his movements became more fluid and Sam noticed the shift of his actions from the practiced and perfected into the ease of things happening without thought.

Sam loved it. He felt happier; calmer and more centred. His mind didn’t race as much while trying to sleep. He didn’t feel as lonely in the early hours of the day getting up to run. Sam knew the science of why humans craved and needed physical touch, he’d just never given much thought to it before. But it was good having this and it not just be sex with a relative stranger or Dean checking him over for wounds.

The more it happened, the more natural it became and the more Sam wanted it to happen again.  
-

He started asking Cas if he’d like to watch movies together. At first bringing his laptop out and sitting it on the table. He’d make them scoot their chairs closer together until they were sitting side by side. He’d lean into Cas’s space to tell him which things he liked and why; or Cas would turn and ask questions about things he didn’t understand until they were almost breathing the same air.

Somewhere along the way movie nights and binge watches moved from the library to squashing together on Sam’s bed. It just sort of happened and Sam wasn’t sure how they’d got there but it became the expected place to be.  
Sometimes Sam would be tired and he’d scoot right down on the bed, laid at an angle not to block the screen. He’d rest his head against Cas’s arm or have his shoulder pressed into his leg, and he’d feel himself relax into the contact.

One evening as Cas got up to leave Sam grabbed his wrist, half asleep.  
“Don’t go, we could watch another,”  
“You need sleep Sam.” Cas replied.

Sam rubbed his eyes and forced them open, “I can be awake.” He grinned up at Cas trying to force his eyes to focus.

Cas smiled back “We can watch another tomorrow, I’ll let you rest.” Sam found he still didn’t want to let go of Cas’s arm.

“You could still not go yet,” he said quietly, voice lilting up at the end, like it was a question. Cas hesitated and Sam wondered if he’d made him uncomfortable. He started to pull his hand back, turning wide eyed as Cas followed his hand back onto the bed. He sat tentatively on the edge, nodding.  
“Will it help you sleep?”

“Does it matter?” Sam asked in return.

“I suppose not,” Cas said with a hint of confusion in his voice. Sam meant to answer again, in a moment, when he’d collected his thoughts. His thoughts that were full of Cas staying by his side while he slept.

Cas stayed the entire night.

 

* * *

 

Cas had been sure that after a few weeks apart Sam would go back to normal. That his small warm touches would not make a reappearance. Cas wasn’t sure why he’d started, but he sensed that Sam was probably doing it out of duty, that he’d seen the delight in Cas’s eyes at the affectionate touches and felt he had to continue to be nice.

He steeled himself before walking down the bunkers steps, ready to be back in a world where things were normal and everyone kept to themselves.

He was taken completely by surprise by Sam jumping up and embracing him. So much so that he didn't move a muscle, standing awkwardly still and silent. And then Sam told him he was glad Cas was back.  
Cas started to wonder if, maybe, there was a chance Sam was doing this because he liked it.

He spent the entire night going over in his mind every thing he could remember about human social interactions. He'd seen the species evolve, grow, and develop into societies. They interacted with each other in hundreds of myriad ways from subtle to chaotic. And Cas had to come to the conclusion that everything Sam had done were things people did because it felt good. Or because they liked it or got something out of it.

He still didn't understand why anyone would want to do them with him but it did call for an experiment. He took the chance as soon as it arrived the next day. He gently placed a hand on Sam's back, if he shrugged away or frowned back at him or asked him what he was doing, Cas would know he was wrong.

And though Cas could barely believe it, Sam smiled, and let him sit as close as he liked.

    ~          ~           ~

Cas felt himself growing more and more at ease. The more they touched, the more confident he became. And he found himself looking Sam in the eye more, noticing the warmth in them, the way it seemed to ignite when he noticed Cas looking.

He let Sam set the pace, never beginning a new form of their silent communication until Sam had done it first. Until one evening, worn out and disheartened from relentless research on a case, Sam had slumped in his chair and let his head roll onto Cas’s shoulder. Cas inquired whether Sam should go sit somewhere more comfortable and he’d sighed, nodding and hauled himself out of the chair. He grabbed his laptop and wandered towards the door, turning back when he reached it.

“Come on then,”

Cas was taken aback but hurried after him, finding Sam sprawled out across his bed a few moments later. He patted the space next to him.  
“Sit with me if you want Cas.”

“You’re not sitting.” Cas noted.

Sam looked down and smiled. It was the soft smile that Cas associated with Sam realising he had made a joke or a cultural reference that had gone over Cas’s head. Cas liked that smile. Rather than pointing out that Cas didn’t understand or make another reference along the same vein, Sam would just pause a moment and then explain to Cas in another way.

“Well, feel free to join me anyway.”

So Cas sat himself down on the bed beside Sam and they spent a few hours talking and going over notes until Sam slipped into a quiet thoughtfulness and Cas left him to sleep. Sam squeezed his hand before he left.

After that movie nights moved to his room and Cas had to admit that it was much more comfortable.

    ~          ~            ~

  
Dean noticed of course, he rolled his eyes a lot when he found them standing hip to hip in the kitchen. Shook his head in mock disbelief when Sam would hug Cas goodnight. But Cas noticed the smile that flitted across his face as he turned away and took note of the percentage increase in the amount of times he called them both dorks.

He asked him one evening, after Sam had slouched off to bed, if it bothered him.

“Does what bother me?”

“Sam and I,” Cas gestured, looking for the right words “that we interact differently than we used to?”

Dean shook his head, “I can’t say I fully get it, but I don’t mind. You two crazy kids have at, lord knows you’re not gonna get any hugs from me.”

Cas considered this. “It won’t change anything, between us?”

Dean laughed and rubbed a hand across his eyes. “Nothing can change us Cas, you’re in with the Winchester’s now, that means stuck for life, sorry!” and he wished Cas goodnight and left.

Cas felt his grace beginning to sing. Small snippets, just on the good days. It was something that hadn’t happened in an extremely long time.

     ~         ~          ~

  
The day Sam awoke after Cas spent the night sitting vigilant beside him he stretched sleepily and then curled up next to Cas. Wriggling a little to get comfortable. He had barely moved all night and Cas wasn’t sure whether that was his presence putting him ill at ease or if Sam was just exhausted.

“Didn’t expect you to still be here.” Sam mumbled.  
He looked up at Cas, ending up with his head balancing somewhere between Cas’s stomach and chest. He closed his eyes again and smiled, “Goo’morning.”

Cas stopped asking for permission to enter Sam’s room after that, realising he was always welcome.

    ~           ~            ~

  
There was a day - a bad day, the end of the hunt where they hadn’t managed to save anyone, only put an end to any more violence in the future - when Cas felt something shift between them and he wasn’t sure what it was.

The sight of the mangled corpses, over half of them children, and the fresh body of a local woman thought to be a psychic had distressed Sam to a higher state than Cas was used to. Dean was finishing up inside with the local police department and Sam was wandering aimlessly around the impala.

He looked up at Cas, pain evident on his face and then stared off into the distance. Cas crossed the space to him in seconds and wrapped his arms around Sam. Sam was frozen for a few moments before sinking into Cas’s hold. He leaned forwards and bowed his head until his forehead rested on Cas’s shoulder.

They stayed like that until Dean reappeared.

  
Later Cas went looking for him, and found the light on under his door. He turned the handle and stepped over the threshold to find Sam completely nude, stretched out on the bed, hand wrapped around the length of his hard cock.

Sam swore and scrambled to cover himself with the bedsheets. Cas looked at the floor.

“Shut the door Cas!”

Cas didn’t even think, he stepped into the room and pushed the door shut behind him. He looked at the floor.

“I should have knocked.”

“No its, it’s fine. I just thought I’d locked it.”

Cas looked up at Sam. His face was flushed and his eyes bright. The sheet only half covered him. Cas cleared his throat. Sam sagged slightly and voice wavering said  
“I just needed… after today and things were so bad down there. I’ve been doing this in the shower for a while now. But,” he shrugged.

“Shall I leave?”

Sam nodded. At first, he nodded. Cas didn’t move, and then Sam lurched forward. “Or you could help. If you want, you could… stay.”

“What do I do?” he asked. And Sam beamed.

    ~           ~           ~

  
It didn’t happen often. Mostly they carried on as they had been, soft touches and quick hugs, followed by almost nightly conversations laid beside one another or quietly curled together reading books or watching the things that Sam liked.

Cas didn’t think he had a sex drive, and Sam’s seemed low. Or maybe he was just exhausted a lot. But Sam showed him how to move his hands and how to kiss. Eventually, when he’d been around enough times, Sam asked if Cas would want to be naked too. Cas thought that sounded okay and before long they were both rocking together, Sam taking the lead and pushing himself against Cas’s body.

Cas enjoyed the way Sam’s touches became more urgent, harder and insistent. And yet he was always careful and looked to Cas for reassurance.

Sam enjoyed greatly that Cas could clean them up with a touch afterwards, and he made a point of telling Cas this every time before snuggling his way under the covers and pulling Cas close while they finished off the evening with a film or settling down with a book.

Cas most often sat through the night on Sam’s bed. Sam was not a cuddly sleeper but he was always happy to see Cas upon first opening his eyes.

One morning Cas had left to get coffee and he left the door slightly ajar on the way back in because his hands were full.

Sam turned suddenly at the sound of footsteps. Dean appeared in the doorway and pushed it open further. He took in the sight of them, shook his head and smiled before turning away. He called out over his shoulder, “Come on you dorks, I'm making pancakes.”

Sam was flustered and hurried to his feet searching for clothes. He looked a little wild around the eyes when he turned to look at Cas.

“Sam, he already knows. He’s seen us for a while.” Cas reassured him.

“Wait, he does? I mean he has?”

“He's fine with it, you don't have to worry. “

“How do you know he's fine?”

“I asked.”

“You _asked_? When? Why?”

“I didn't want anything to alter things in a bad way, so I asked him if he thought it was strange. He said it was weird but not bad. He told me it wouldn’t change anything between the three of us.”

Sam looked around the room, processing this. “So… did he know before I did?”

“He notices a lot more than you give him credit for Sam.”

“Why,” Sam took a breath and Cas saw him mentally working things through, he seemed to have changed thoughts when he spoke again, “Did you not want to talk about it to me?”

Cas was taken aback by the question, he hadn't thought about it, not especially.  
“You and I seemed to be understanding each other well enough without talking. I suppose I didn't see the need.”

Sam's shoulders relaxed a fraction.

“Your brother on the other hand is more of a closed book.” Cas said as he stepped closer to Sam.

“Yeah, you could say that.” Sam said with a smile.

“If a conversation would make you feel better we can certainly do that too.” Cas studied Sam's face carefully while he waited for a reply.

Sam blinked down at him and shook his head briefly.  
“I think we're doing okay.” he brushed a hand up Cas’s arm. “Although maybe I'll go talk to Dean about it, as that seems to be the thing to do.” there was the glint of something teasing in his eye. Cas watched his lips try and fail not to twitch upwards.

Cas stepped back and squared his shoulders. He tried to suppress a grin as he turned to leave the room and said “As you wish.”

With satisfaction Cas felt like he could almost hear the gears turning in Sam's head. He hurried after him, stuffing an arm into his shirt sleeve.

“Did you just make a Princess Bride reference?” Sam asked with incredulity as he careened around him to get a look at Cas’s face. “You did! You totally did!” Sam laughed full body and loud.

“This, I definitely have to tell Dean.”

Cas slowed as he followed Sam into the kitchen. He could hear the brothers laughing and talking. He paused outside the door as Sam stopped talking in the middle of a sentence.  
He appeared in front of Cas seconds later.

“Did you mean? Uh, because you said...and in the movie…”

Cas nodded. Sam’s face crumpled into a smile showing his dimples and crinkling his eyes.

He moved and wrapped Cas in the biggest hug he could manage, arms enfolding him and meeting across his back.

“As you wish, too.”

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> This is the most sickeningly sweet thing I may ever write. And I kind of love it.  
> Can you tell how much I like to avoid writing dialogue though?
> 
> Had a lot of fun filling this, I hope it lives up to the prompters idea!   
> You can find me [here](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/oddsocksandstuff) if you want to say hello. my tumblr is a mostly sfw place!


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